Promises Kept
by TLX
Summary: Harry is left with mixed emotions after the war. Not really knowing what to do, he suggests to Ginny they wait two years before they start dating again. He doesn't want to wait, but he knows it's the right thing to do. For now. Written as part of the Teachers' Lounge Holiday Exchange for HeadlessHuntsman by Love From a Muggle.


Title: Promises Kept

Setting: it starts off two days after the war, then two years later after the war.

Summary: Harry is left with mixed emotions after the war. Not really knowing what to do, he suggests to Ginny they wait two years before they start dating again. He doesn't want to wait, but he knows it's the right thing to do. For now.

Author's note: This was written for The Teacher's Lounge Christmas Exchange. Happy Christmas Headless Huntsman. Enjoy it!

_Two nights after The War ended at The Burrow:_

Harry awoke screaming in Ron's old room. He was soaked in his own sweat. Ginny came rushing in this time instead of Ron. She sat on Harry's bed and held him as he cried in her arms.

"Ginny," He cried. He felt like a big baby because of the way she rocked him and patted his hair.

"I'm here…. Shh. I'll always be here." Ginny said softly. Harry abruptly moved away from her. Still shaking in fear of his nightmare, knowing Voldermort couldn't come back from wherever he went, he glared at her.

"Don't you ever say that!" Harry demanded. She looked at him confused.

"Harry, you're exhausted, go back to sleep. It's only been two nights since the war."

"No, I'm not exhausted." He paused, and then yawned. "Well maybe a little. But don't say you'll always be here. How do you know? Too many people have walked in my life. Too many have left. Remus, Tonks, Mad Eye, My parents, Dobby, Sirius... Dumbledore. Don't say you'll always be there for me. We never know."

"Harry, I know that." He could tell she was angry because of the way that she adjusted her posture crossing her legs.

"But I'll be there for you. As a girlfriend, friend whatever, you need me now and that's all that matters." Ginny said.

"But what about you being there for your mum? Ginny, I think we should wait two years. Two years, and we'll talk about dating. In two years time we can be a couple again."

Ginny got up, glanced at Harry, and walked out the door not wanting to talk to him.

_Two Years Later_

Harry stood at Godric's Hollow one week before Christmas. He often came to visit his parents around the holidays. Sometimes with Hermione, and sometimes with Ginny. But this year he came alone. He had just had a big argument with Ginny in the middle of the night. The time when they were to start dating. He wasn't married to her yet, but they often slept together. It was a way of comfort for him, and safety for her. She came to his house most nights, because her parents wouldn't approve of the arrangement between them.

They had wanted Harry and Ginny to get married after Ginny graduated from Hogwarts, but Ginny and Harry had other plans. Their promise two years ago after the war was to be friends for a while and date. Then, two years later if they felt the urge to become an official item again, they would talk about it.

However, after this argument, Harry didn't know if that would work out. He felt depressed half the time. Mainly because he kept thinking of all the people he couldn't save. He shook his head. He wasn't going to think of them tonight. The argument between him and Ginny started, because oh hell. Harry couldn't even think of it to himself. It was too embarrassing. But it had led to a big blow out. He didn't want to spend the night at her parents home for Christmas. He wanted to go home to his little Christmas tree, alone, without Ginny. But she didn't want him to be alone on Christmas. He did.

Harry sighed, he sometimes came to his parent's grave to talk out loud, think to himself, and sometimes just get away from life itself. It was the only place where he could truly cry without someone feeling sorry for him.

"Happy Christmas Harry." Her voice was quiet, but he knew who she was from the sound of it.

"I don't want to talk Hermione."

"Ginny's worried about you." Hermione brushed off the annoyed tone. Clearly he wanted to be alone, but she ignored that small fact. She knew he needed to talk.

"Is she? She didn't seem worried about me when I left."

"All she wanted was to spend Christmas Eve with her parents. Can you blame her?" Hermione glanced at the snow, and back at Harry. Snow had slowly started to fall during their time of being here.

"I'm all for that Hermione, I just didn't want to spend the night at the Burrow. I wanted to come back home."

Hermione put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"She didn't tell you the whole story did she?" He blushed in the dark, hoping Hermione wouldn't see.

"The whole story?" Taking her hand off of him, she turned so she could face him crossing her arms.

"The argument came when we were making love." Harry hung his head so Hermione wouldn't see the embarrassment. Hermione couldn't help but let out a small snicker.

"It isn't funny. It's more personal than that. I wish Ron were here, he would understand."

Hermione controlled her laughter, and bit her lower lip before continuing.

"Harry, what else happened?" Hermione asked already knowing.

Harry knew she knew sometimes when a man tries to make love to his significant other, he prevents himself from performing properly. This is what happened tonight between Harry and Ginny, causing an argument to form between them. Harry really didn't want to tell his female best friend. Ron would sympathize with him. He'd slap Harry's shoulder, say it'd be alright then suggest they would go for a drink. He wouldn't stare at him the way Hermione did making him feel guilty.

"Say no more. I know what happened. And Harry, it happens to ALL couples."

"It doesn't lead to a huge argument. Hermione, I was already frustrated with myself, and then she decides then was a time to bring up Christmas. I threw my clothes on, turned around and said 'maybe we shouldn't date at all! Did you ever think I want to be alone for once?' " He looked at her guilty. Hermione breathed in, and then breathed out sighing.

"OH Harry! You didn't!" She exclaimed.

"I did."

"Well, even when we're angry, we say things we don't mean. Trust me, Before Ron and I got married, we argued so much. But did you ever think about what she wanted?"

"This isn't about her! It's about me Hermione-oh." It dawned on him. He was wrong this whole time. He was playing the victim as Ginny called it. The one who always wanted sympathy and couldn't be happy one bit. "Shit." he kicked the snow hoping it would help him feel better, but it didn't. All it did was get cold snow in his socks. He should have grabbed his snow boots, but he didn't want them. They were in his closet which was near his bed, which was where Ginny was.

"Better?" She asked knowing it wasn't better.

"How did you know I would be here?"

"Harry, you're always here around Christmas. With Christmas Eve tomorrow, she was worried you wouldn't come home. She came to our home during the night. We aren't due to spend the night at the Burrow till tomorrow afternoon."

"Why do you spend the night there? What about your parents?" He shook the snow out of his sock.

"They're coming this year to the Burrow."

"But the other years they weren't there."

"True, but it's familiar. I like doing what's familiar to me. A Christmas without the Weasleys, is like a Christmas without snow. You just have to have both." She smiled as she watched a tiny smile forming on him. He looked down at his wet sock.

"A Christmas without snow. Imagine that." He said bringing the half smile into a full one.

"There you go Harry. Now tell me, do you know what you really want?" She asked as she shivered. He gave her his jacket and watched her pull out a jar. In an instant, blue flames filled the jar. Magic Fire. He always liked it when Hermione did that trick.

"I do, but I think I need to talk to Mr. Weasley first before I talk to Ginny."

"Oh Harry!" Hermione put down the jar, and hugged him tight. He accepted it, but then pushed her off of him.

"Now, Hermione, it's not what you think."

"Oh but it is! You just don't realize that yet." Hermione said smiling. She picked up the fire, and gave him back his jacket.

"I better get back." Hermione started to turn around, but turned back facing Mr. And Mrs. Potter's grave. She pulled out her wand again and drew a Christmas Wreath sending it to each grave, watching it wrap around it just like she did in their seventh year. "Tradition." She explained as she saw Harry's curious expression. He nodded in understanding.

"Thanks Hermione." He whispered.

"I do it because I want to Harry, not because I have to. You might want to think about that when you talk to Mr. Weasley."

"Do What?"

"Everything. Spending the night at the Burrow on Christmas Eve, being with Ron, sure I'm married to him, but it's because I want to. Not because I need to. Not because it's what is expected of me. Once you separate want from need, you'll understand more how Ginny feels." Hermione hugged him once more as the blue flame burned out.

"I hope to see you tomorrow Harry."

She disapparated leaving him alone in front of the magical glowing wreath on his parent's grave.

"Happy Christmas Mum and dad. I hope I know what I'm doing."

It was as if Harry felt the presence of his parents around him. He could have sworn he felt his father pat him on the back, and his mother hugging him. He could have sworn he heard someone say 'you do. Just go with your heart.' Harry shivered glanced around and realized he was alone. He shook his head getting the dark thoughts that tried to enter his mind out. No, he wasn't alone. He wasn't ever going to be alone. It was then, when Harry realized he didn't want to be alone anymore. Not then, not on Christmas.

Harry disapparated to the Burrow's living room knowing that Ginny would still be at Hermione's. A shocked Molly Weasley dropped the tea cup in her hands as she entered the threshold of her home. Arthur Weasley stood up abruptly, with his wand raised at Harry out of Habit.

"Harry! You're here at this hour? But you're not coming tomorrow. What's the matter? Is everything alright?" Molly said taking out her wand and cleaning up the broken cup.

"Molly, go set the kettle for tea. Harry needs to talk to me alone." Arthur glanced at his wife lowering his wand and sitting back down. She nodded and understood leaving the two men alone.

"Why are you here at my house in the middle of the night? Ginny isn't here."

"I know sir. She was at my house-" He watched Mr. Weasley glare at him. "But she isn't anymore. She's with Hermione. Sir, I need to talk."

Molly brought two cups of tea on a Christmas tray Harry had given her two Christmas' back. She set it down on their coffee table and walked out of the room.

Arthur let Harry get the first cup. He watched carefully as Harry put in two lumps of sugar, and a little cream. He made a note of how Harry liked his tea because it was the exact same way as Ginny. There, while watching Harry, Arthur knew the man was crazy about his daughter. They say, as you grow older you start to do things the same way as your spouse/significant other. Arthur knew it was true, for he and Molly were the same way. Here, before his eyes, Arthur realized how Harry felt about his daughter. Arthur adjusted in his chair by the fire, folded his hands in his lap, and stared at Harry.

"You do love her don't you?" He didn't wait for Harry to speak, but instead Harry stopped stirring his tea and looked up at him. Arthur held out his hand, he didn't want Harry to talk. Harry sat back down in the opposite armchair and waited as Arthur lowered his hand.

"I know you do. I don't agree with your current er, sleeping arrangements, but I do know you love her. You don't even need to date or anything to be engaged Harry."

Harry spilled his tea and muttered 'shit' as Arthur gave Harry a napkin.

"Excuse me?" Harry said immediately cleaning the tea. "I didn't come here to ask-"

"Yes, you did. I know you did. Harry, at my age you pick up on things. You _know_ certain things. Why, I could tell by looking at you now. Watching you make your tea exactly how Ginny made it." Arthur stood up, ignored the tea his wife brought in and walked over to the bookshelf across the fire place. He pulled out a book, and set it down on the end table next to the shelf. Then he pulled out a little burgundy box. Placing the book back, Arthur turned around and watched Harry's mouth drop.

"No, sir, you don't understand. I came here to ask you to start dating Ginny again. I know it's unusual, but I feel like I need to date her first. To make sure she doesn't go away." He hadn't meant to let that last part slip. It was his fear after all. Ginny going away.

Arthur chuckled and walked over to Harry. Harry put the napkin on the table and stood up.

"Harry, you need to look deep into your heart. You love my daughter yes?" He held out the tiny box. Harry already knew what it was.

"Yes, Sir." He said sighing. Arthur slapped him on the shoulder and congratulated him.

"Then don't let her go. She isn't going anywhere. She is in love with you. Harry, she would die for you." Arthur watched Harry's eyes grow wide.

"Don't say that sir!"

"It's the truth. The truth hurts. If it's hurting you this much, knowing she would do that for you, then don't let her go. As I said, you don't need to date. Everyone knows you and Ginny are to be together. Do it because you want to, not because you need to." He handed Harry the box.

"No, that's where you and Hermione are wrong." Harry said accepting the box.

Arthur looked down on him.

"I mean, I want to marry her. But I need to do it. I need her as much as she needs me. It's a matter of want and need, not one or the other." Harry opened the burgundy box. A delegate princess cut small diamond nestled on a plain gold circle of a ring. Harry's eyes grew wide.

"It's not much, but it belonged to my mother. You Harry, just realized what you wanted in life. I had nothing to do with it. You figured it out on your own. Harry, I've watched you grow up. I've treated you like a son. And now, I'll accept you into my family with my blessings."

"Sir, I want to marry your daughter. We both need and want each other. I've made a promise to her. She expects us to start dating, but she won't be expecting a proposal."

"Then go to her. Apologize to her, but I'll bet you a Fire Whiskey, she won't allow you to apologize." He grinned at him.

"I'll take you up on that bet." Harry said smiling. "I'm going to propose, because I want to. Because I need to. And because I'm keeping my promise." Harry said placing the burgundy box in his pocket.

"And tomorrow, you'll have a brand new bottle of Fire Whiskey." Arthur smiled just as Molly came in the room.

"You haven't made another bet have you?" She said knowing her husband often used Fire Whiskey for bets.

"Oh, just a tiny one about Ginny." Arthur winked at Harry. Molly followed his gaze and automatically knew what was going on. She let go of hugging husband and rushed over to Harry giving him a hug.

"Oh Harry! I could kiss you!" She said.

"Molly, let the man breathe!"

She quickly let go, and patted him on the cheek.

"But I won't. I will let my daughter do that."

_The next night on Christmas Eve_

Harry watched as his new fiancé show off the ring to her family and his. His family. He always thought of the Weasleys as family, but knew they would soon become his real family. A family is what he always wanted.

He and Ginny talked things out, and Arthur was right. He didn't need to apologize. Taking a swig of his Fire Whiskey, Ginny turned and smiled at him. Harry smiled back, raised his glass, and took another sip. Here, at the Burrow, on Christmas eve was where he belonged. With his family, the Weasleys.


End file.
